Niners nearly violate PUP rules with Crabtree

49ers receiver Michael Crabtree remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list. If he’s not activated by Saturday, he’ll remain there for at least six weeks.

And since he hasn’t been activated yet, he can’t practice with the team. On Monday, he almost did.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reports that Crabtree, who was not in uniform, caught 20 passes during warm-ups from quarterbacks Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick, Josh McCown, and McLeod Bethel-Thompson. One pass was thrown by former NFL quarterback — and current 49ers coach — Jim Harbaugh.

It continued until G.M. Trent Baalke walked onto the field, presumably to inform Harbaugh of the niceties of the PUP rules.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told Maiocco via e-mail that the league is reviewing the situation. “We are looking into it,” Aiello said. “We appreciate Trent Baalke contacting our office to report what happened. Our understanding is that it occurred during warm-ups and that Michael Crabtree did not participate in practice.”

In 2008, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning participated in at least one walk-through practice while still on the PUP list. It’s unknown whether the Colts received any punishment from the league office.

cheaters! take away a draft pick! obviously the colts weren’t really punished since no draft pick was taken away!
it isn’t like the 9ers are first time offenders. they are repeat violators of the league rules!

Wow the Niners are a CLUELESS organization. The Yorks just need to sell this team at this point. A long time 49ers fan its almost been 16 Years when this team was not a joke. Anthony Davis is a joke and a bust. Kid is from Rutgers and OverRated.. because the scout made him . Fatso jumps offsides all last year and was to lazy to show up to his ProDay because he knew he would lose stock.

The Yorks need to sell this team… with all due respect to the young kid owning it. Unfortunately, I am for one, tired of him joy riding Daddy’s and the Family’s station wagon ..

are you saying that warm ups aren’t part of practice? sounds to me like a clear violation of the PUP rules when you are on the field with your team mates catching balls (what receivers do in practice usually!!!!)

They’re mincing words. Warmups are a part of practice because if you get hurt warming up, it’s a “football injury” and the player still gets paid or gets an injury settlement if it happens in training camp.

Bottom line is the 49ers have been caught cheating yet again. The league will minimize it to the media because incidents of cheating hurts the entire league’s image and undermines the integrity of the NFL in the eyes of the fans that support it. That’s why Goodell “destroyed” the Patriots’ tapes. They didn’t want the extent of the cheating to be made public.

That’s why Goodell “destroyed” the Patriots’ tapes. They didn’t want the extent of the cheating to be made public.
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@ melonhead – unlike all these other teams that are repeatedly violating the rules, the Patriots were actually triple punished with the highest fines and draft picks in history. so get off the mob lynching wagon and show some reason!

cheaters! take away a draft pick! obviously the colts weren’t really punished since no draft pick was taken away!
it isn’t like the 9ers are first time offenders. they are repeat violators of the league rules!

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I don’t give a …. about ur thumbs down. I’ll thumb down myself since it makes you all feel better. it just seems to me that no matter how many times some teams violate rules, the punishment is never coming. if you set a precedent of taking draft picks away from teams (not only the Pats but see Steelers and Broncos cap violations as well) than that should be the standard.

Seriously, the Niners are blatant cheaters?? Dude caught a couple of passes prior to practice..and the “tampering” BS a couple if years back? Funny how they get nailed for contact with Lance Briggs agent..when he’s the same agent as Frank Gore. The commish had to qualms with real tampering by the Jets, Pats and pretty much everyone else every single year. No, cheating it taping other teams walk throughout before a super bowl not tossing a couple if passes..as if that gives any sort if advantage

Why do the receivers even bother to practice? They don’t have a QB to throw them the ball. Chris Mortensen said Braylon Edwards was a steal for them. How? He’s not going to catch many balls with Alex Smith or Kaepernick throwing to him.

Why would Baalke willingly inform the league about this? It sounds like a minor incident and what happens in the clubhouse should stay in the clubhouse. Baalke should have informed Harbaugh of the rules, and swept it under the rug. I guarantee more teams than not violate meaningless rules like this, especially the Patriots.

If he is on the PUP list then what is the explanation for him even being on the practice field at all? It seems like a clear violation. The HC was directly involved as well. I don’t think it is a huge deal or advantage to the 49ers but it is a rule that was broken.

The GM was right to report it. In this day and age of Twitter, etc. it was bound to get out. Some idiot player, fan or reporter thinking he has a “scoop” would have tweeted a pic. If the HC and GM are proven to be involved and then covered it up/failed to report it, a harsh penalty would happen. This way they can say that the rookie HC’s error was corrected and get a lesser punishment or none at all.

Were they playing catch on the sidelines, or on the field with Crabtree running routes? I would cut them some slack if it’s the former, especially since the GM intervened to clarify things. But if he was on the field, throw the book at ’em.

@ melonhead – unlike all these other teams that are repeatedly violating the rules, the Patriots were actually triple punished with the highest fines and draft picks in history. so get off the mob lynching wagon and show some reason!

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I’m not saying that the Patriots weren’t punished enough as an organization. I’m saying that Goodell covered up the extent of the cheating because it’s bad PR for the NFL. It undermines the integrity of the entire league. It’s in the league’s best interest to downplay the impact of cheating. Frankly, I think it’s disgusting. These guys (the owners) are supposed to be partners. You can’t trust a guy that would cheat his business partners.

The York Niners are such an abysmally inept franchise nothing surprises me from this clowns anymore. When your GM is a career scout no other team would hire in a million years and your VP of football operations is an accountant with zero experience in professional sports you know you’re in trouble. It will be the next millennium before the hapless York Niners are competitive.

gaels1997 says:
Aug 29, 2011 10:29 PM
No, cheating it taping other teams walk throughout before a super bowl not tossing a couple if passes..as if that gives any sort if advantage

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whatever argument for reason you were trying to make was gone when you tried to insinuate that any team was actually caught videotaping SB walk through. Other than some hack reporter’s article who issued an apology and got fired, there is nothing saying they taped the walk through.

Sickpuppyz sounds like a lil ho……cheaters, take a draft pick away, wahhhhhhhh…stfu. Why are all you dummies making a big deal out of this? If anyone knows this sickpuppyz, I would never do anything “illegal” around him cuz he would be the first one to snitch you off. How about some real news????????